Electric lamp



G. WHEAT.

ELECTRIC LAMP.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.,8, 1917.

1,361,557.- .-Patented Dec.7,1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET i.

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i amr Mew:

G. WHEAT.

ELECTRIC LAW.

APPLICATION FILED JAN-8. WW.

1 3 6 1 5 57 L Y Patented Dec. 7, 192(L 2 SHEETS--SHEET 2;

T all whom it may concern GRANT WHEAT, or conmr, PENNSYLVANIA.

Be it known .that I, Gnan'r WHEAT, a

citizen of the United States,-residingat Corry, inthe county of Erie and State of Pennsylvania-, have invented. certain new and-useful Improvements in Electric Lamps,

of whichthe following is a specification.

. My invention consists of"; an improved electric lam-pend is particularly adaptedfor miners use in mines or other places wherecombustible gases are present. I

I, a lamp which Wlll include a plurality of electric bulbs and also to provide means- .15

otherwise incapacitated, another of the bulbs may be" lighted without opening any One objject of my invention is toy-provide whereby-any one of said bulbs may be lighted so that'if one of the bulbsburn out or is ;part of the lamp. casing.

-Another object is to include means within the lamp casing which automatically oper ates, when any of the bulbs are broken, to immediately eject or throw the broken bulb from its electrical contact andthereby pre 'vent sparking which might otherwise result in-the'explosion of the surrounding gases.

A further object is .to so construct my improved lamp casing that it can be readily 1 tection.

sealed so that it cannot be opened by an unauthorized person and closed without de- Another object is to provide meanswhereby the lamp may be easily and quickly secured to a hat or cap and which is operative. to firmly hold the lamp against accidental displacement. t

' A still further object is to so construct my improved lamp that it will be. of comparativ'ely simple construction and can be manufactured and sold at a'reasonably low cost. These objects, and other advantageous ends which will be described hereinafter, l attain in the following manner, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which r Figure 1 is a perspective view of my 1mproved lamp and attachingmeans therefor.

Fi 2 is a ers ective view of m 1 '1m.

b proved lamp with certa n of the parts removed.

Fi; 3 is a central longitudinal sectionof my improved'lamp.

Fig. 1 is an enlarged fragmentary section showing'certain of the elements of my invention.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional plan viewtaken on the line 55 of Fig. 2.

ELECTRIC LAMP.

Specificationof Ltterslatent. f Patented De *7 1920 Application filed: January 8, 1917.; Seria1 110,141,138.

. Fig. 6 is afront elevation of my improved wattaching' means with the lamp removed therefrom, showing its position when attached to an element which is designed to j be secured to 'ahat or cap.

Fig. 7 is asection on the line 7-7 of i Fig- 6.

Fig. 8 is a section on the line 8'-8 of Fig. 6. v j v L Fig. .9 is a perspective view of my invention as it appearswhen'attached to a hat or cap, and v Fig. 10 is a face View of a conduit-retaining washer which .I employ.

Referring tothe drawings, 1 isa casing preferably made of material which is a nondistance into the chamber 3, and a. washer This passage,

or ring 10 surrounds said conduit and fits within a recess 10 in the head 2 and firmly.

secures the conduit 6 against relative longitudinal movement with respect to the-casing ,1.

The casing 1 hasa projection 11 which extends into the chamber 3 and forms a seat or support for two ends 12 and 13 of two contacting plates 1 1 and 15 respectively. The plates or conductors 14: and 15 have bent portions 16 and 17 :which extend downwardly, and these plates are again bent upwzrdly as shown at 18and 19 and follow the contour vof the chamber 3 as clearly shown in Fig. 2, the portion 19 of the'plate 15 being longer than the portion 18 of the plate 14. v

The portions 18 and 19 terminate in two contacting fingers-20 and 21 which are oppositely disposed to a switch 22 (see Figs. 2 and 5). The switch 22 is secured to the shank 23 of a manually rotatable disk or knob 24;, the latter having ridges on its peripheral surface to facilitate the turning thereof.

The switch 22 has a further bearing upon one end of a metallic plate 25, this plate being connected to the wire 8. The wire 7 is connected to a plate 26 which has a bifurcated end 27 made of resilient metal. The

bifurcations or arms 28 and 29 of said plate- A 26 terminate in cupped ends 30 and 31 and are positioned above the ends il2 and 13 v j I ings 49 and 50 through which theouter ends the two contacting'plates 1'4 and 15.-

The cupped ends and have-holes32 which extend entirely therethroug'h from top to bottom, andtheends '12 and13 each has a-re cess 33 in its upper surface as clearly 'shownin Ffigs.'2 and 4,.

A bracket plate 3ft has a pointed end 35 which -,is driven through the inner surface of the head 2. This braoketplate34 forms" a support for two spring arms-36 and 37 each having a" V-shaped recess in its outeri end. as, shown at '38. -These V-shaped re-- cesses are designed to engage over the pointedupper ends 39' of electric bulbs 40- I glass cover 53 in contact withsaid gasket and 41, said bulbsbeing of any of the usual centrwires or filaments 43. The kets 42, hen the bulbs are operatiye position w ithin my improvedtypes which have'metallic ackets 42 which are in electrical connectionwith the internal filaments or incandescent wires/t3, the jackets 42 being insulated atf44: from accenftral metallic stem or plug 15 which-i's also in electrical connection with said incandestheir lamp, seat upon the cuppedends 28 and 29 of the spring plate 26 and the metallic plugs i '45 are held in electrical contact with the recessed portions of the ends 12an d-13 of the plates 14 and l5 .through the medium of the resilient arms 36 and 37v, which operate to bear downwardly upon the bulbs 40-and 451,

.it being noted that the strength of the arms 36' and 3 77is greater than that' ofthe bifur:

cated portions 28 and 29"o fthe plate 26.," Hence, when currentispassed through the wires '7 and hand -considering that the switch 22 has been moved into electrical contact with the finger 21-, thecurrent will'pass,

through the member 25, thence through the switch 22, finger 21, plate 15, through the filament in the bulb 11, thence through the cupped end 31 of the plate 26, it being noted that the member 25 and plate 26 ar m electhrough the finger-2 to the plate 14, thence tact with both of the fingers 20 and 21.

tricalconnection with the wires 7 and '8.

.If the switch 22 is turned into engagement'with the contacting finger 20, the current will pass through the member 25, thence through the bulb 40 to the portion28, of the plate 26. i

It will thus be seenlthat when the switch 22 is in contact with the finger 21, the bulb 41 will be lighted and when the switch is turned into contact with the finger 20, the bulb/1.0 will be lighted. Fig. 2 shows the bulbs removed for sake of clearness and the switch 22 in its neutral po'sitionout of con} A reflector 46 is mounted-within the head 2 and has'a flange 47 which fits within anannular groove 48 in saidhead. The reflector is of the'sa'me general shape as the chamber but slightly shallower so. as not to interfere with certain of the elements above mentioned. The reflector openof thearms 36and 3 7 extend so'a's to engage "Furthermore, the reflector has :a hole 51 adjacent the bottom thereof .to permit the bulbs and the cupped ends of the plate 26. "and their cooperative elements to extend for thelamp. A clamping ring 5 1 has'an' inwardly turned fiange 55which holds the throughout its circumference has inwardly. projecting pins56 which are designed to enter and turn within bayonet slots .57 f'ormed in the outer'surt'ace of the casing 1 (see-Fig. 2) so that the ring 54 may be inserted, and

by giving the same a partial turn,:will hold the glass cover- 53,gas ket 52 and reflector 46 tothe casing '1. I p j I The clamping ring 54 is provided. with a depending integral extension 58 having per-'v .torations 59: therein which register with 7 perfora'tions in a depending exte nsion 60 formed on a bracket 61,- the latter being secured to the rear. of the head 2 of the cas the bulbs at points outside of the reflector.

-52 said clamping ring at ditferentpoints' ing 1. Theextensio'ns 58 and 60 can be" sealed together-by'means of a rivet 62 or a rivet'62 may be. inserted through each of the perforations in-the extensions. 58 and-60, only one rivet being illustrated in the drawing. This rivet may bemade of soft mate.-'

rial such aslead or Babbitt metal-so that an attempt to remove-the clamping ring 54 would; destroy the rivet above mentioned and it could be readil detected if some un-. authorizedperson ha attempted to open or remove the glass cover 53. 1 I

The bracket. 61,,- after passing upwardly along theback of the head 2, is-turned downwardly as shown at 63 and forms a plate having turned lips 64. The plate 63 has an i elongated opening 65 therein through which extend hooked flanges66 and 67 on a relativ ly slidable plate 68, said plate-also having turned lips 69. j A coiled spring 70 has its oppositeends connected to the plate 63 'and to the plate 68 and extends through the elongated opening 65 in said 6 and 7.

The spring 70 serves to .move

plate 63 as clearlyshown in Figs;

the plates 63 and68 in one direction in 'orddr to move {the lips (Hand 69 towardeach other for "clamping purposes hereinafter described. Y

A standard or plate 71 "is secured to the cap or hat 22, said standard being bent as shown at 7 3 toslightly space the portion 74 from the hat proper. To attach the lamp to the hat, the lips 69 are placed over one edge of tlic portion-74,:1nd theentire structure, is

- cardboard or paperoid 81, the-edges of the then slid'until the lips- 64 may be passed over the opposite edge of the pqrtion .74 thus stretching the spring 70" which, when released, will relatively move the plates '63 1 and 68 so that the'lip's 64 and 69 clamp the opposite edges of the portignsj 74 and thereby hold the lamp securely to the hat.

If-either of the bulbs '40 cor-41 are. broken, the portion 28 or 29 will automatically move the bulb out of the contact with the respective plates 14 and "15, therebyimmediately breaking the electrical connection with said bulbs, it being noted as above mentioned that the portions 28. and 29 are resilient and that when the arms 36 andfil? are in engagement with-thexbulbs 40, thesepo-rtions 28, and 29-are deflected out of their normal po' sition and hence if the bulbs are broken, the

arms 36 and 37-will be relieved of their function and consequently move into their normal positions. and the portions 28 and 29 of the plate 26 will then return to their norbulbs outof contact with'saidplates 14'and. 15 as above described.

It will thus be understood that when the portions 28 and 29 are'in' their normal positions, the plugs out of contact with the ends 12 and 13 .of the plates 14 and '15, thus the function of the cupped ends of the portions 28 and 29 is two fold. First, they form conductors of elec -tricity to the lampjackets 42, and second, they act to move the plugs 45 out of contact with the plates 14 and15. v

The movement of theicupped ends of the portions 28 and 29 serves to eject or throw the broken bulbs'from their seats,and hence prevents any sparkingdue to the burning out of the filament or for any other reason which might occur if the bulbs were allowed to remain in contact withthe plates 14 and 15 and the said portions 28 and 29.

In order to prevent the abrupt bending of the conduit 6 at the outer end of the stem, 4, I provide a flexible extension or ferrule 7 5 which abuts against said free end of the stem 4 and to this ferrule I attach a sleeve 76, the outer end of the sleeve being 'turned' inwardly as shown at 77 to indent the'ferrule,

and thereby provide a connection-there with (see Fig. Y

Adjacent the outer end of the stem 4, I provide pins or lugs 7 8 which are designed to enter bayonet slots 79 and thereby prevent longitudinal movement of the ferrule with respect to the stem 40f the casing 1. This construction prevents crystallization of the wires 7 and 8 which otherwise might occur if the conduit 6 bent directly at the free end of the stem 4.

The standard 71 is made of rigid construction and I preferably make the body portion of said standard of sheet metal as shown angle to the conduit passage. f any outward pull on the conduit will cause 45 of the bulbs'will be raised portion 8O being turned to inclose the reinfor-cement as shown at 82 (see Fig. 8).

It will be noted that therecess '10 into which the washer 10 fits, extends at an acute Therefore,

the washer to move within its recess'l0 and thereby closely bind and firmly secure the conduit to the casing; -I therefore provide a very simple "construction for effectively retaining the conduit within the stem 4 and head 2.

- -Wh ile I-have described my invention as taking a particular form, itwill be understood thatthe various parts of my invention may be changed without departing from the spirit thereof, and hence I do not limit myself to the precise construction set forth, but

consider that I am at liberty to make such I changes andalterations as fairly come within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent .is':

1. A lamp including a casing having a hollow portion, a conductor of electricity mounted within said hollow portion, an elecing a resilient projecting arm forming a seat for said electric bulb and normally operative to hold said electric bulb out of contact with said conductor, means operative to hold the bulb in engagement with'said conductor against the action of the resilient arm, said arm having a cupped end with ahole extending therethrough and forming a seat forthebulb and permitting a portion ther of to project through the hole into contact Having thus described my invention, what with said conductor, substantially as de scribed. I

2. A lamp having a hollow head, bulbs mounted in said head, independent conductors of electricity in contact with one terminal of each of said bulbs, a switch movable into contact with either of said conduc tors, a' plate secured to the head and form ing a conductor of electricity, said plate having projecting resilient arms for engagement With the respective other terminals of the bulbs, and means for supplying current to said plate and to said switch, said resilient arms being operative, when said bulbs break,

to antomatically throw them out of electric,

circuit, substantially as described.

3. lamp having a hollow head, bulbs mounted in said head, independent conductors of electricity in contact with one terminal of each of said bulbs, a switch mounted within said head and movable into contact with either of said conductors, resilient means for engagement with the other terminal of each of said bulbs, means for supplying current-to said resilient means andto' said sw1th,;;and other resllient means of greater strength than said first resilient means normally operative to hold said bulbs in contact with said independent conductors, said' first resilient means being opera ti've when the bulbs are broken to move them out of Contact with said independent conwithin the casing, substantially as described.

' duzrtors, substantially as described.

4. A lamp caslng having a hollow head, a

metallic'platefsecured to the inner'surface of said head, a. plurality of electric bulbs, -mounted within saidhead, aplurality of independent conductors, a switchbea-ring on said plate and movable into engagement with either of saidconductors, means pro- 'viding electrical connection between said conductors and one terminal of each of said bulbs, means for supplying electric current.

to. the other terminals of the electric bulbs, and means 'for supplying current to said 'plate'whereby' the switch when turned in connectionw'ith any one of said independent conductors will complete an electric circuit through a respective bulb, substantially as (described; 5; A lamphaving a hollow'casing, a bulb mounted in said casin'g a conduit entering" the "chamber provided'by said hollow casing,

electric wires housed in said conduit for supv plying current to saidbulb, anda ring, said casing'havi'ng a' recess greater in .width than movement of saidconduit acts to'bind it 6.,A lamp having a hollow head, a bulb 'mounted in said head, a conduit entering the cham'berprovided by said hollow'he'ad, elec-,

tric wires housed in said conduit for supplying current to the bulb, a stem intersecting said head and having a" passage through which said. conduit passes, and'a'continuous tubular member made of a single piece of flexible material connected to the outer end of the stem, said member forming an additional housing for said conduit and operative to prevent the abrupt bending of said conduit, substantially as described.

7.v-Atlamp includnig: a casingihaving a hollow portion, a conductor of electricity mounted within said hollow' portion, an electric bulb, a plate securedto the casing and including a resilient arm, said arm having a c'upped end forming a seat for said electric bulb and normally operative to. hold said electric bulb out of contact with said con ductor, and means for engaging said bulb,

to hold it in contact with saidconductor againstthe resilient-action of said arm, substantially as described. 4

8. A lamp including a casing having a hollow head, an electric bulbwithin said head, a conductor of electricity mounted resilient action surface of the head and including a resilient arm, said arm having'a cupped end with a hole therein, .said'cup'ped end forming a seat for said electric bulb and normally operative to hold the bulb out of contact with the within the head, a plate secured to the inner I conductor, means arranged foren'gagement i with said bulb to hold the latter with one of I its terminals in engagement with said con-' i du;tor through the medium o-f said hole and against the resilient action of the plate, said cupped end of the arm being-designed to contact with the other terminal of the bulb, I substantially as described.

9. A lamp including a; casing having a hollow. portion, a conductor of electricity mounted wlthln said hollow portion, an electric bulb, a resilient plate forming a cupped seat in which one end of said electric bulb loosely rests, said plate being normally operative to hold said electric bulb outofcontact with said condu'ctor,a IBS'IlIQIIt- -RIIH having a V-shaped recess 'forstraddli-ng the opposite end ofisaid bulb,"and said arm being operative to hold the bulb'in engagement with said conductor against the resilient action of said plate, substantially as described. 10. A lamp includmga casing having a hollow portion, a conductor of electricity mounted within said hollow portion, an electric bulb, a resilient plate formmg a seat for said'electric bulb and normally operative to hold said electric bulb out of contact with said conductor,'a resilient aim having a .\/*shaped recess for; straddling one end of said bulb, and said arm beingoperative to hold the bulb in engagement with said conduc'tor against the resilient action of said plate, said plate having a cupped end provided with a hole forming-a seat for said bulb and permitting a portion thereof to project through. the hole-into contact with said conductor, substantially.- as described.

11. A lamp including a casing having a hollow" head, a conductor of electricity mounted within said head, an electric bulb,

a plate having a resilient portion forming a cupped seat in which one end ofthe electric bulb.'lo osely. rests, said plate being normally operative to hold said electric bulb out of contact with said conductor, said .cupped portion of the plate being provided with a hole, said hole permitting a terminal of the bulb tov project therethrough into contact with the conductor, said conductor having a recess designed to receive said latter terminal of the bulb, and means for engagement with the bulb to hold-said terminal in en-\ gagement with the. conductor against the of the plate,substantially as described;

12., A lamp having a hollow head, bulbs mounted in said head, independent conductors of electricity for said bulbs, fingers eleci trically connected to said independent conductors and havingraised portions, a switch 1 I having 'a hollow portion, light producing movably mounted in said head', and means outside-of saidz'head operative to "move said switch into engagement with the raised p'ortions of either of said fing'ers whereby .the

fingers and switch are frictionally bound together, substantially as described.

13. A lamp having a hollow head, bulbs mounted in said head, independent conductors of electricity for saidfbulbs, fingers connecting said conductors, a switch movable into contact with either of said fingers and between the fingers and the interior of the head whereby the switch is wedged between said fingers and the head, and means on the outside of said casing operative to movesaid switch, substantially as described.

14. A lamp having a hollow head,- a bulb mounted in said head, a conduit entering the chamber provided by said hollow head, electric wires housed in said conduit for supplying current to said b'ulb, a stem on said head having a passage through which said conduit passes, a flexible ferrule, a sleeve connected to said ferrule, bayonet slots formed in said stem, and means on said sleeve for entering said bayonet slots to detachably secure the ferrule to the stem, said ferrule also forming a housing for said conduit, substantially as described.

' 15. The combination ofa lamp casing, a bracket secured to said lamp casing and having a member secured thereto, turned lips on said member, a second member movable relatively to said first member and havingturned lips thereon, a hat, a standard plate on said hat, and a spring for moving said members relatively toward each other to cause said turned lips" to engage opposite edges of said standard to secure the lamp to.

the hat, said turned lips acting to embrace and snugly fit opposite edges of said standard plate, substantially as described.

16. The combination of a lamp casing, a bracket secured to said lamp casing and hav-. ing amember secured thereto, turnedlips on said member, a second member movable relatively to said ,first member and having turned lips thereon,-a hat, a standard plate on said-hat, and a spring formoving said members relatively toward each other to cause said turned lips to embrace and snugly fit opposite edges of said standard to secure the lamp to the hat, one of, said members having ah opening therein providing oppositely disposed edges, the other of said members having hooked flanges for engagement with said oppositely disposed edges to prevent lateral displacement of said members, substantially as described.

17 The combination of a lainp casing means mounted in said hollow portion, a

bracket secured to said casing and having an extension provided withna perforation, a cover for said hollow portion of-theicasing,

a member for holding said coverin place to.

prevent access to the interior of said casing,

said member having an extension provided with a perforation designed to register with the perforation in said other. extension whereby sealing means may be inserted through said perforations, substantially as described. Y

18. A lamp including a hollow head, an electric bulb mounted ,in the head, a stem projecting from said head and having a passage communicating with the interior of the head, an electric conduit entering the head through saidpassage, a continuous tubular ferrule made of flexible material and located at the outer end of the stem, and a sleeve embracing the adjacent ends of said ferrule and-{stem and securing them together, said ferrule comprising a sleeve having a hole registering with the passage in said stem, substantially as described.

19. A lamp comprising a hollow casing, a stem projecting from theback of'said casing, an electric lamp bulb mounted in said casing, electric conductors leading through said stem to said bulb, a ring through which said conductors extend, said casing having a recess formed'therein adjacent to the junction of said stem with said casing to receive said ring and hold it at an acute angleto the" stem, whereby the engagement of said'confixed terminal, and a yielding arm arranged to bear on said bulb and hold it in said seat, whereby upon the breaking of the bulb said spring arm will. operate to inter'u'pt the normal engagement of one of said lamp con-.

tacts with said fixedterminal.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GRANT .WHEAT. Witnesses:

G. W. LERoH,

ALBERT R. BLUME. 

